Builder Gets Deal For Tri-rail Land

BOCA RATON — Tri-Rail officials cemented a deal Friday to build an old-time rail station, apartments and retail stores on property it owns east of the Boca Center.

Tri-Rail's board of directors votedto approve a development deal with Sapphire Properties of Boca Raton. That deal guarantees the financially struggling rail line at least $18.9 million in income during the next 30 years through the lease with Sapphire.

"We've never done a joint development before," said Linda Bohlinger, Tri-Rail executive director. "This has potential as a revenue source and for ridership growth."

The centerpiece of the project will be a train station modeled after the historic CSX Seaboard station in Tampa. The station will feature retail and food outlets and include a bus/car dropoff area.

The 11.85-acre development at Glades Road and Military Trail is also expected to include:

A 90,000-square-foot office building.

Two 150-unit, five-story apartment buildings.

A five-story, 150-room hotel.

Two restaurants and an 890-car garage.

Tri-Rail will receive rent and a percentage of gross revenue from the project. Sapphire, one of four bidders for the project, must win approval from the city of Boca Raton before it can proceed with much of the development.

The new station will be built just west of Interstate 95, south of Glades Road. It will be just east of the Boca Center and south of the Blue Lake Corporate Center, a planned corporate village. Tri-Rail also plans to build a station near the Congress Avenue exit of I-95.

Blue Lake officials have expressed interest in putting a station on the campus, but has yet to contact Tri-Rail with a specific proposal, Bohlinger said.

A Tri-Rail station just north of Yamato Road, which is on leased land, eventually will be closed. Officials hope to open the new Glades Road station by 2002.

Tri-Rail also plans offices and apartments near the Cypress Creek Road station in Fort Lauderdale.